Each entering student is encouraged to select an advisor before their arrival. The advisor helps the student select an advisory committee and notifies the Department Graduate Committee of this selection. The advisory committee is composed of the advisor plus two (M. S. programs) or three (Ph.D. programs) additional faculty members and it is expected to function throughout the student's career, conducting the proficiency conference, the candidacy examination (for Ph.D. students) and the thesis or dissertation examination. At least one of the committee members in addition to the advisor must be from the department. If needed, a temporary advisor will be assigned who will help the student select a temporary advisory committee. This committee will assist the student in course selection and other matters until a permanent advisor is selected. The permanent advisor should be selected no later than the end of the student's second quarter in residence, and must be a member of the graduate faculty willing to serve as the student's advisor. The advisor and student inform the Graduate Committee of their mutual acceptance by using Form Ent-5.

If for any reason (e.g., student dissatisfaction with advisor, or vice versa) a student wishes to change advisors or other members of the advisory committee, this is done by petitioning the Graduate Committee. If a student does not have a permanent advisor after two quarters, the student must petition the Graduate Committee to continue enrollment. A student unable to find an advisor within four quarters must transfer out of the program, for in no case will a student or faculty member be forced to accept each other.

The progress of each student is reported annually to the advisory committee by the student and copied to the Graduate Committee using Form Ent-7.

Each autumn quarter, new graduate students participate in the department's Research and Training Seminar (Entomology 880), which assists new students in choosing a field of specialization within the department and in the selection of a permanent advisor. This course is of value in giving new students an overview of the department, and is required of all new graduate students, even if they have already selected an advisor. This program includes a visit to The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at Wooster.